Have a Little Deed

When you see someone with an armful of bags approaching a closed door, do you open it for him? Do you rush over to the woman in front of you who dropped her credit card on the ground? Do you speed past the homeless man on the side of the road, instead of rolling down the window to hand him some change?

In our day-to-day lives, we often don’t take time to stop and think about the ways we affect others. Our own personal schedules wrap us up so tightly that we might not even have time to think about helping another person; it seems as though people today are just struggling to help themselves. But good deeds do not have to be forced into our daily routines. There’s no need to make an appointment for them, and they don’t have to be tedious, time consuming tasks, either. A good deed can be as simple as sharing an umbrella with someone while walking to your car on a rainy day. I know it can be tempting to close the elevator doors as soon as you step inside, but it can’t possibly take that much effort to hold the door open and wait for others. Extend a resource that is available to you but not others around you. What may seem insignificant to you could mean the world to someone else.

The first time I realized how much a simple deed could make a difference, I was a nine-year-old girl scout. We dabbled in crafts and selling cookies, but we also learned the importance of serving others. I remember when our troop went shopping in a large supply store. We were standing near the exit when I noticed a woman with a cart heading toward our direction to leave. Figuring that she might have trouble getting through the door, I walked over and held it open for her. Before I could turn to walk back, she handed me a dollar. No words, just the dollar. I held the dollar in amazement and slight confusion. "I just opened a door," I thought. My young mind was then beginning to understand how my act of courtesy rewarded me. It was my "Aha" moment and has been etched in my memory forever.

There are two sides to a good deed, the giver and the receiver. I’m sure everyone has experienced a time when they needed an outstretched hand--a couple of extra dollars for lunch, a ride home from work or maybe even a temporary place to live.
I cannot forget my sophomore year in college when I was running late to my biology exam. As I was speed walking and cursing myself on the way to class, two random classmates drove past, recognized me and offered to give me a ride. I could not stop thanking them enough! I felt like God sent me a blessing via rush delivery that day. Moments like these not only remind me to think of someone other than myself but also connect people that might not have ordinarily been acquainted.

Whether your good deed is voluntary or involuntary, the act itself is like a ripple in a pond that grows larger than the initial splash. You never know how much your act of kindness can uplift or save someone in distress. I believe a small, unassuming good deed has unlimited power. Its strength gives hope, brings peace and changes lives.